Dispenser of disinfection sheet products

ABSTRACT

A dispenser of disinfection sheet products, includes: a containment structure; at least one disinfectant product contained in a tank housed in the structure; a disinfectant product dispensing element associated with the disinfectant product tank; at least one magazine for supports in the form of sheets designed to receive the disinfectant product; elements for feeding the supports along a feed path, from the inside of the structure towards the outside such that the supports pass near the dispensing element to receive a dose of disinfectant product. The dispenser includes actuator elements for the dispensing element and a computerized control unit associated with the dispensing element, the feeding elements and with the actuator elements to synchronize them, identification elements associated with the disinfectant product and with the support, the control unit communicating with the identification elements to cause the dispenser to operate according to the disinfectant product and support sheets used.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a dispenser of sheet products and in particular to a dispenser for dispensing supports in the form of sheets moistened with disinfectant products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present operations for disinfecting surfaces in situ, that is to say, surfaces of objects which cannot be removed from the place where they are used, such as the furniture in an operating theatre, are carried out by trained personnel using a disinfectant product, preferably liquid, applied using a suitable support in the form of a sheet, for example a cloth.

The disinfectant products normally used usually consist of a solution or a mixture based on one or more active ingredients suitable for inhibiting or destroying viruses, germs and the like.

To disinfect such surfaces, often located in areas where there is a risk of bacterial and/or viral proliferation and/or contamination, the disinfectant liquid is usually brought into contact with the surfaces to be treated either directly, by spraying the surfaces with it using suitable dispensers, or by distributing it using the support previously sprayed with it (this method is mainly used when the surfaces have an irregular shape or direct spraying could damage adjacent devices or equipment).

In both cases, to allow an effective disinfectant action by the product, the tendency is to keep it in contact with the treated surface for as long as possible.

Cleaning systems which are carried out completely by hand and are delegated solely to cleaning staff have some disadvantages.

The active ingredients normally used to prepare disinfectant products often have a compatibility which limits their stability with the passage of time. That is to say, once the product has been prepared, it must be used within a relatively short time.

For this reason, compounds consisting of active ingredients which are very effective from a biocidal viewpoint cannot be used together because their stability with the passage of time is of limited duration and therefore they cannot be prepared in the dispenser prior to their use.

For the same reason, particular combinations of separate active ingredients which would extend the spectrum of action of the disinfectant product cannot be used, because they may not guarantee the necessary stability for relatively long periods of time.

The absorbency of the support used may run out due to imprecise spraying with the disinfectant product, limiting the overall effectiveness of the disinfection.

Similarly, imprecise spraying with the active ingredients may lead to a deterioration of the support, reducing the overall disinfecting and cleaning capacity until the support itself becomes a contaminating agent.

Manual preparation of the support with the disinfectant product may result in preparation errors, for example the use of a support made of a material with an absorption rate which does not guarantee that the disinfectant product will remain on the surface of the support for long enough.

As a consequence of the possible errors due to manual preparation of supports with the disinfectant, the disinfection of the surfaces treated may not be completely satisfactory and safe.

Moreover, the supports may be contaminated if they are not preserved correctly before use, altering the biocidal effectiveness of the disinfectant product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this context, the main technical purpose of the present invention is to propose a dispenser of disinfection sheet products which is free of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

The present invention has for an aim to propose a dispenser of sheet products which supplies the operator with a support in the form of sheets which are suitably moistened with the disinfectant product.

The present invention also has for an aim to propose a dispenser of products for disinfection which prepares on the support a disinfectant product comprising active ingredients which are compatible with one another in the short-term.

The present invention has for another aim to produce a dispenser of disinfection sheet products which allows the dispensing on the support of a disinfectant product having a precise field of action and which reduces the possibility of contamination of the support.

The present invention also has for an aim to produce a dispenser of sheet products which guarantees a precise and effective combination of the support and a respective disinfectant product.

The stated technical purpose and the preset aims are substantially achieved by a dispenser of disinfection sheet products comprising the technical features described in claim 1 and in one or more of the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Further features and advantages of the present invention are more apparent in the description below, with reference to a preferred, non-limiting, embodiment of a dispenser of disinfection sheet products, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a dispenser of disinfection sheet products in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a detail of the dispenser of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 1 denotes a dispenser of sheet products in accordance with the present invention.

The dispenser 1 comprises a containment structure 2 housing a plurality of tanks, schematically illustrated with blocks 3, each filled with a respective disinfectant product.

The disinfectant products are preferably different from one another and, in particular, separate disinfectant products comprise active ingredients which are temporarily stable with one another if mixed, as described in more detail below, to extend the spectrum of action of the products dispensed by the dispenser 1.

The tanks 3 are preferably sealed so that the dispenser 1 can be refilled with a product by substituting an empty tank 3 with a full one.

The dispenser 1 has a disinfectant dispensing element 4 for each tank 3 to dispense a dose of the respective disinfectant product.

The dispenser 1 comprises a magazine 5 of supports in the form of sheets 6 intended to receive at least one dose of the disinfectant product.

The supports 6 preferably consist of cloths made of suitable materials having precise absorbency.

The magazine 5 is preferably located inside the containment structure 2.

The magazine 5 preferably consists of a roll 7 having a central drum 8 on which the supports 6 are wound.

In particular with reference to FIG. 2, it may be seen how in the preferred embodiment illustrated the roll 7 consists of a plurality of supports forming separate pieces 6 a, separated from one another by weakening and pre-cutting lines, the pieces being wound on the drum 8.

The dispenser 1 comprises feed means 9, of the substantially known type and not described in detail, for the supports 6, designed to feed the supports 6 along a feed path P.

The supports 6 are preferably in the form of a continuous web 6 b made up of separate pieces 6 a.

In particular, the feed means 9 feed the supports 6 along the feed path P from inside the containment structure 2 towards the outside of said structure.

In particular, outside the machine 1 the generic user finds available a precise piece 6 a which is suitably moistened, as described below, and which can be separated or is separated from the continuous web 6 b at the pre-cutting line.

The path P extends near to the disinfectant dispensing elements 4 so that each support 6 can receive a dose of at least one disinfectant product.

The dispenser 1 comprises actuator means 10 for the disinfectant dispensing elements 4, which can preferably be operated by a respective selector 11.

Advantageously, the selector 11 is positioned on the outside of the containment structure 2, that is to say, the disinfectant dispensing elements 4 can be activated by selecting them from outside of the containment structure 2.

A computerized control unit 12 is associated with the disinfectant dispensing elements 4, with the feed means 9 and with the actuator means 10 to synchronize them as described in more detail below.

The dispenser 1 comprises identification means 13, 14 associated with each disinfectant product and with the support 6.

The computerized unit 12 is in communication with said identification means 13, 14 to cause the dispenser 1 to operate according to the disinfectant product and the support 6 used.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the identification means 13 for the disinfectant products consist of a so-called electronic label 15, of the substantially known type.

In particular, the electronic label 15 is associated with the tank 3 of the respective disinfectant product, so that, since, as already indicated, the tank 3 is sealed, the product contained in it is unambiguously identified.

The means 14 for identifying the support 6 consist of an electronic label 16 associated with the support 6.

The identification label 16 for the support 6 is preferably associated with the roll 7 drum 8.

The dispenser 1 comprises reading means 17 associated with the computerized unit 12 for reading the identification means 13, 14.

In particular, the reading means 17 comprise detector aerials 18 which read the labels 15, 16 in a substantially known way.

Said aerials 18 preferably communicate with the respective labels 15, 16 by means of a radio frequency signal.

In this way, the computerized unit 12 gathers a plurality of data relating to the disinfectant products and the supports 6 used.

In particular, the label 15 contains saved data relating to the type of disinfectant product present in the tank 3 and the active ingredients in it.

Advantageously, the label 15 also contains saved data relating to the quantity of disinfectant product present in the respective tank 3.

The label 16 contains saved data relating to the type of support 6 and the number of supports 6 of which the roll 7 consists.

The preferred electronic label 15, 16 used is of the type which can be updated, that is to say, labels in which the computerized control unit 12 can update the saved data for example gradually as a disinfectant product is dispensed, so as to monitor the quantity of product present in the respective tank 3, and gradually as the supports 6 are taken from the magazine 5, to monitor consumption of the supports 6.

The computerized unit 12 together with the means 17 for reading the identification means 13, 14 of the disinfectant products and the supports 6 also forms a dispenser 1 checking and management system 19.

In particular, if the computerized unit 12 does not recognize the disinfectant products or the supports 6 for which the dispenser 1 is programmed, it prevents the dispenser 1 from operating.

The dispenser 1 also comprises a sterilizer 20, located along the path P, for sterilizing the support 6 when it is used.

The sterilizer 20 preferably comprises a lamp 21 which emits ultra-violet rays to eliminate any contaminating agents from the support 6 in transit along the path P.

It should be noticed that the dispenser 1 comprises a device 22 for preparing and selecting the supports 6 stored in the magazine 5.

In particular, in the preferred embodiment illustrated, the preparation device 22 selects and identifies each piece 6 a forming the continuous web 6 b unwound from the storage roll 7.

A preferred example of the device 22 is described in patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,790 by the same Applicant, incorporated herein by reference.

In practice, the dispenser 1 dispenses a sterilized support 6 moistened on one face with at least one disinfectant product.

The quantity and the type of disinfectant products simultaneously sprayed on the cloth, depending on those loaded in the respective tanks 3, are managed by the computerized control unit 12 subject to operation of the selector 11.

Advantageously, two or more of the tanks 3 present in the dispenser 1 may contain active ingredients which are only temporarily stable with one another, which are brought into contact when sprayed on the respective support 6.

It is possible to spray the support 6 with calibrated doses of different disinfectant products to optimize the biocidal effect of the sprayed support 6.

In this way, since it is possible to combine at the required moment active ingredients which are temporarily stable with one another, a support 6 is obtained which has a dose of disinfectant products allowing a more rapid and deep disinfecting treatment compared with the common supports used and sprayed manually by an operator.

By assigning codes to the disinfectant products and the supports 6 using the identification means 13, 14, it is possible to guarantee that the supports 6 used and the disinfectant products sprayed on them are only those intended for the dispenser 1.

The checking and management system 19 guarantees that the dispenser 1 only uses the supports 6 and disinfectant products for which the dispenser 1 was suitably programmed.

Therefore, in particular the system 19 prevents the use of supports with absorption rates which do not guarantee that the disinfectant product remains on the surface of the support for long enough and consequently do not release the disinfectant product on the surface to be disinfected.

The system 19 also prevents the use of supports which release a large amount of fibers which could pollute the surfaces treated.

The dispenser 1 allows substantially automatic monitoring of the remaining quantities of disinfectant products present in the respective tanks 3.

It should be noticed that extending the spectrum of action of the disinfectant products by combining active ingredients which are temporarily stable with one another provides a significantly aggressive attack on infectious agents.

The dispenser 1 also allows automatic planning of rotation of the disinfectant active ingredients present in the disinfectant products to prevent the growth of resistant bacterial strains.

The invention described above is susceptible of industrial application and may be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements. 

1) A dispenser of disinfection sheet products, comprising: a containment structure; at least one disinfectant product contained in a tank housed in the containment structure; a disinfectant product dispensing element associated with the tank; at least one magazine for supports in the form of sheets for the disinfectant product; means for feeding the supports along a feed path, for feeding the supports, each support passing along the feed path near to the disinfectant dispensing element to receive a dose of said disinfectant product; actuator means for the disinfectant dispensing element, for dispensing the dose on the support; a computerized control unit associated with the disinfectant dispensing element, with the feed means and with the actuator means so as to synchronized them, the dispenser further comprising identification means associated with the disinfectant product and with the support, the computerized control unit being in communication with the identification means to cause the dispenser to operate according to the disinfectant product and the support used. 2) The dispenser according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of disinfectant products having respective identification means and contained in respective tanks, each tank having a respective disinfectant dispensing element, each support passing along the feed path near to the disinfectant dispensing elements to receive at least one dose of at least one of the disinfectant products. 3) The dispenser according to claim 1, comprising a sterilizer located along the feed path for eliminating any contaminating agents from the support. 4) The dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the sterilizer comprises a lamp which emits ultra-violet rays. 5) The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the identification means comprise an electronic label associated with the disinfectant product. 6) The dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the electronic label is associated with the tank of the respective disinfectant product, said tank preferably being sealed. 7) The dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the electronic label associated with the disinfectant product contains saved data relating to the type of disinfectant product. 8) The dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the electronic label associated with the disinfectant product contains saved data relating to the type of active ingredients present in the disinfectant product. 9) The dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the electronic label associated with the disinfectant product contains saved data relating to the quantity of disinfectant product present in the respective tank. 10) The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the identification means comprise an electronic label associated with the support. 11) The dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the electronic label associated with the support contains saved data relating to the type of support. 12) The dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the electronic label associated with the support contains saved data relating to the number of supports present in the magazine. 13) The dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the electronic label is associated with the support by means of the magazine. 14) The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the magazine is a roll of supports. 15) The dispenser according to claim 14, wherein the electronic label associated with the support is associated in particular with the roll drum. 16) The dispenser according to claim 1, comprising reading means associated with the computerized unit, the reading means being designed to read the identification means. 17) The dispenser according to claim 16, wherein the reading means are of the radio frequency type. 18) The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the disinfectant products comprise active ingredients which are temporarily stable once mixed when they are sprayed on the same support. 19) The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser can be refilled with a disinfectant product by substituting the tank, said tank preferably being sealed. 20) The dispenser according to claim 1, comprising a device for preparing the supports from the magazine. 